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Congratulations to you both to getting a nice collection together. Many years ago, before Ebay and on line autions, I struggled to put together a set of the twelve Murano birthsigns and I know what a great feeling it is to keep adding weights until you get that elusive full set.By the way, have you seen the film the BBC made at Caithness in 1966, Colin Terris has just arrrived and is setting up his copperwheel engraving studio but there are interviews with some of the designers including David Gulland and a sequence of Paul Ysart working with his 15 year old apprentice Peter Holmes.Happy collecting !Dave

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Some years ago, and loving the vibrant colours, I decided to collect the, 'complete set' of Caithness Moonflowers in all the different colourways and editions.

Over forty so far.

Just to put me out of my misery, anybody have the definitive answer as to how many styles they actually made (it's complicated by the fact they often seem to have been used for, 'test pieces' to try out faceting techniques and suchlike!)?

... Just to put me out of my misery, anybody have the definitive answer as to how many styles they actually made (it's complicated by the fact they often seem to have been used for, 'test pieces' to try out faceting techniques and suchlike!)?...

To Dave:Many thanks for the kind support... Yes, collecting prior Ebay and on-line auctions must have been a totally different world... I have never seen the BBC footage that you mention but have heard of it. I will have to try and get hold of it...

To Graham:Yes, it can be a slippery slope. Hopefully, with a small set of eights weights, I should be OK - there is only three more to go (or am I just kidding myself?).

To Ray:Oh, I like these rings. Nice complex canes... Great buy.

This thread was really a good idea...

SophieB

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That was in connection with the number of Caithness Moonflower designs/colours.

In his Encyclopaedia of Caithness Glass Paperweights Andy lists 27 paperweights actually named Moonflower. There are more related designs (like Windfall and Moonbeam). I have 7 more "Moonflowers" in my database - commemorative or commissioned weights. Then, as you mentioned, there are numerous examples around on which cutting or facetting has been tested ... plus a large number of seconds on ebay, which may have gotten this rating due to small deviations from the original colouring. Even if not rated a second, the long production time will have resulted in small colour variations: this raises the question - what's a new colour, what's just a minor change? With 40 different Moonflowers you certainly have a lot - but, I guess, there will never be an "official" statement, how many designs exist.

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Wolf Seelentag, St.GallenInterested in any aspect of Scottish glass? Have a look at Scotland's Glass.

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I once had 3 Selkirk Partridge in a pear tree weights. All 3 where different sizes, one was around an inch larger in height and width than the other, so don't think you should count slightly different colours of what should be the same colour as different colours, if that makes sense!

Yes, I think i may be on a fools errand with the Moonflowers. There seem to be certain 'base' colours (blue/green/purple) with consistent colours (orange/red/green/blue) splurged on top. Given, however, that they're inherently a bit random, the amount of each colour can completely change the 'look' of the weight (hence the number of 'duplicates' that I have).

I think I'll just buy a longer shelf and carry on!!

Graham

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